Don't delay cellphone ban: councillor

A New Brunswick city councillor has renewed his call on the province to ban cellphone use while driving in light of legislation being passed in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

"What is it gonna take?" asked Fredericton's David Kelly.

"Is it gonna take a certain ration of accidents? What do we have to do here in New Brunswick? What else is it gonna take for us to go that next step?"

Kelly, an insurance appraiser who made a similar appeal in July, said he has seen too many cases of driver inattention caused by using cellphones.

In 2007, the most recent year for which numbers are available, insurance claims as a result of auto collisions in New Brunswick amounted to more than $161 million.

An estimated $129 million of that would be due to distracted driving, according to Bill Adams, regional vice-president for the Insurance Bureau of Canada in the Atlantic region. Eight out of 10 collisions involve a driver who isn't paying full attention to the road, he has said.

Other bans

Seven provinces have now restricted cellphone use to hands-free devices, including Saskatchewan and B.C., where the ban took effect Jan. 1.

Saskatchewan drivers using hand-held cellphones to talk, text, email or surf the internet face a $280 fine and will receive four demerit points on their licence.

In B.C., as of Feb. 1, drivers caught talking on a hand-held device will be fined $167 and if they're texting or emailing, they could be subject to three points against their licence.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba previously implemented bans.

Alberta and the Yukon are considering similar distracted-driving legislation.

New Brunswick continues to monitor the situation, Public Safety Minister John Foran has said.